Police officer was 'misleading and dishonest'

Senior officers concluded allegations were proven and amounted to gross misconduct

A former Devon and Cornwall Police constable found culpable of gross misconduct over two separate allegations has been described as "misleading and dishonest".

Senior officers said one allegation saw Daniel Leggasick, who left the force before the ruling, falsely declaring in a crime report he had provided words of advice to people involved in a case on 29 November 2023 when he had not.

The second allegation was that a copy of an interview plan to an assessor supposedly produced on 5 December 2023 was actually produced on 7 December.

The force said it was concluded the allegations were proven after an accelerated misconduct hearing on 19 June, with Acting Chief Constable Jim Colwell concluding the officer would have been dismissed without notice had he still been serving.

'Not a mistake'

Mr Colwell concluded Mr Leggasick had breached the standards of professional behaviour in respect of honesty and integrity, duties and responsibilities, orders and instructions and discreditable conduct.

The former PC fully admitted his conduct on both occasions was deliberate, misleading and dishonest, the force said.

Superintendent Jo Arundale, from the force's Professional Standards Department, said PC Leggasick's actions fell below below its high standards.

“Deliberately and dishonestly misleading a supervisor departs significantly from the expectation clearly held by the public in terms of how an officer should conduct themselves, both on and off duty," the superintendent said.

“This is not a case of an officer making a mistake or exercising poor judgement whilst under extreme stress or provocation whilst doing their duty.

"Former Constable Leggasick deliberately chose to misconduct himself on both occasions, knowing that he was misleading his supervisor and his assessor.”